


The Sweet Trick-or-Treat

by AvatarKai



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Cute Kids, Family Fluff, Fluff, Gen, Halloween, Halloween Costumes, One Shot, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Trick or Treat: Treat, Trick or Treating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:09:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27063925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AvatarKai/pseuds/AvatarKai
Summary: Cala has never been trick-or-treating or even dressed up in a Halloween costume before. Melony, however, plans to change that.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 13





	The Sweet Trick-or-Treat

**Author's Note:**

> Here is a cute little one shot of Cala's first Halloween because why not?  
> This is supposed to take place later in the story, so for the sake of not spoiling anything, Mizore will be the only one of Cala's Pokémon to make an appearance here. 
> 
> You don't necessarily need to read WHW to understand this fic but if you haven't done so already, check it out [ Winter's Hidden Warmth.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24139738/chapters/58123498)

Halloween in Circhester was a marvelous affair. The decorations blended with the powdery, perpetual snowfall, creating a unique, spooky, wintry wonderland unlike any other. As the days until Halloween dwindled, the residents of Circhester were well into the Halloween spirit, placing the final touches on their decorations. Jack-o-lanterns rested on the steps and porches of every household. Fake Bug Pokémon webs and plastic Zubats hung from every door and rooftop. The light bulbs in the lampposts were changed to give the snowy town a more eery glow. Even the snowmen were altered to look like vampires, mummies, witches, and ghost Pokémon. Stores were constantly restocking their candy shelves after long days of selling out pounds and pounds of confectionery to the demanding citizens, hell-bent on making the holiday enjoyable for both the children and adults alike. At the Malone household, the Halloween spirit was in maximum overdrive.

“Ah, I love Halloween! Itʼs my favorite holiday of the year!” Winter squealed as she carefully balanced herself on a chair, on her tiptoes, hanging up cotton cobwebs on the walls. 

“I thought your favorite holiday was your birthday,” Gordie remarked as he jabbed a carving knife into a pumpkin.

“While getting double the presents and getting to open some a day early is nice, it doesnʼt hold a candle to getting free sweets,” she replied.

“Touché.”

“Winter, have you figured out what you would like to be for Halloween?” Melony asked, reaching into a pumpkin and pulling out a handful of guts and seeds.

The ten year old nodded eagerly. She had been planning this since September. And it was a no-brainer who she wanted to be.

“Uh-huh, Elsa!”

“Werenʼt you Elsa last year?” Gordie snorted. Winter couldnʼt help but roll her blue eyes.

“No, I was Anna,” she stated matter-of-factly.

“Whatʼs the difference?”

“Well, for your information, Elsa is the one in the blue dress with the ice powers. Anna doesnʼt have ice powers,” she informed. She turned her attention back to her mother.

“Can you make me an Elsa costume, mum? Please?”

The Ice-type Leader nodded with a smile. “Of course, Snowflake. As soon as I finish crocheting Jadeʼs Pancham hat, Iʼll start on yours.”

“Yay!” the girl cheered.

“Would you like me to make you a costume too, Gord?”

“Nah, thatʼs okay, Ma,” he declined. “Iʼll just wear my The Boulder costume from last year.”

The woman then turned to her niece, who was seated on the sofa with Mizore in her lap. She was quieter than usual.

“Cala?” The girl perked up at the sound of her name. “Do you know what you would like to be for Halloween? I can make a costume for you.”

Cala began twiddling her thumbs anxiously. Truth be told, she had never dressed up for Halloween before or even been trick-or-treating. Her parents were always too busy with work and couldnʼt be bothered to take her once they got home after a long day. Year after year, she spent each Halloween night staring out the living room window as the children of Snowpoint ran around dressed as various movie characters and Pokémon, waving their candy-filled buckets about, and chanting “trick-or-treat” like a mantra. She felt like the only kid in the entire Pokémon world who never went dressed up and/or went trick-or-treating, excluding those who didnʼt for religious reasons, and it embarrassed her.

“Um...no, that's okay. I-I wouldnʼt want to be a bother...” she said in a barely audible whisper.

“Oh, itʼs no bother, dearie,” she assured her, fanning her hand. “I can sew up a costume for you in a jiff. Winterʼs Elsa costume should take no more than a few days to make, so that leaves plenty of time for yours— Jade, donʼt eat that!” She swiftly stopped the three year old boy from from shoving a handful of pumpkin guts in his mouth. The boy giggled mischievously.

Cala swallowed the lump in her throat. “I...I wouldnʼt even know what to be,” she admitted.

“Not a problem, love. Halloween isnʼt for another, what, ten days? You have plenty of time to decide. And I can help you if youʼd like.”

“I can help, too!” Winter offered. “I have loads of ideas. And if you want, you could wear my Anna costume from last year and we can go trick-or-treating as a pair!”

While Cala appreciated the kind offers from her aunt and cousin, she felt like an inconvenience, like this was something that they were obligated to do. As much as she wanted, no, craved to celebrate Halloween, she didnʼt want her aunt to feel like she _had_ to make her a costume or take her trick-or-treating. Her mother never wasted her time on something so trivial and unnecessary, so why should she? Besides, her mother told her not to give her aunt any trouble.

She gave a shrug of her shoulders and shook her head. “No, thatʼs okay. Y-you really donʼt have to,” she insisted.

Melony frowned. She knew that Cala often refused things from others in fear of being labeled a burden, no matter how many times she tried to convince her otherwise, but refusing Halloween? Her sister and brother-in-law werenʼt religious, so it had nothing to do with the latterertrr. So, what was the reason?

“Honey, whatʼs the matter? Do you not like Halloween?”

Calaʼs gaze fell to her lap, her cheeks dusted with pink as she felt her familyʼs eyes burning holes in her head. Well, they were bound to find out eventually. Arceus, she was so embarrassed.

“I...Iʼve never actually...um...celebrated Halloween before,” she confessed in a feeble voice. The horrified gasps of her two cousins rang in her ears.

“Never celebrated Halloween?!” Winter exclaimed, absolutely flabbergasted at such a ludicrous statement. “You mean, youʼve never trick-or-treated before?”

“Or dressed up in a costume?” Gordie chimed in.

Cala hesitated before shaking her head. “N-No. Mom and Dad were always too busy to take me. Plus, Mom said it was stupid...” She uttered the word “stupid” as if it were poison in her mouth.

Melony sighed, shaking her head in disbelief. She loved her sister dearly, but her parenting skills, or lack thereof, were very concerning. Her extremely hands-off parenting style had been the source of many of their arguments. By no means was Melony a perfect parent, but she always tried her best to ensure that all of her kids were happy and healthy and constantly fretted over their wellbeing, something Canta never really bothered with too much. The Ice-type Leaderʼs heart ached for the poor girl.

“Oh, you poor thing,” Melony cooed.

“Halloween isnʼt stupid, itʼs fun!” Winter said.

“Sometimes I wonder what is going on in Aunt Canta and Uncle Yukioʼs heads...” Gordie muttered, shaking his head. “That is ridiculous.”

Melony peeled her gloves off and made her way over to the girl. She sat down beside her and draped an arm over her body.

“Do you want to celebrate Halloween with us, dearie?” she asked gently. “Itʼs okay if you donʼt.”

Cala looked up, her blue eyes gleaming with hope. “I do. Iʼve always wanted to.”

A smile spread on the womanʼs lips. “Then itʼs settled. Once I finish with Winterʼs costume, Iʼll get right on yours.”

“A-Are you sure itʼs not an inconvenience..?” she stuttered, still not feeling sure. “I-I can buy my own costume.”

“Nonsense! I do this every year; it takes practically no time at all. Take a gander at this.” She reached under the white cherry wood coffee table and pulled out a plain white photo album simply titled “Halloween.” Winter and the triplets joined them as well.

She flipped it open. The first few photos were of Winter dressed in an Anna costume. The dress was perfect down to every last detail. It looked like it came straight from Frozen.

“Whoa,” Cala breathed, absolutely fascinated. “You made that?”

“Yep,” Melony replied proudly. “Took about two days.”

“Itʼs beautiful. It looks like it came straight out of the movie.”

“Why thank you, love. Look at this one.”

She flipped to the next page, which showcased the triplets wearing costumes of three Pokémon Cala didnʼt recognize. She couldnʼt hold back the squeal that escaped her lips.

“Theyʼre so cute!”

“Those are the starter Pokémon Trainers can choose from,” Winter informed, pointing each one out and referring to them by name. “Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble.”

“Datʼs me!” Jade cried out, pointing at him dressed as the Rabbit Pokémon Scorbunny. “Scowbunny!”

“Anʼ me!” Apollo pointed to him dressed as the Chimp Pokémon Grookey. “Iʼm Gookey!”

“Thatʼs right, boys. And thereʼs Dew.” She pointed to Dew who was dressed as the Water Lizard Pokémon Sobble. The starters the boys were dressed as matched each of their personalities to a tee. Dew was shy and full of emotion like Sobble, Apollo was calm and playful like Grookey, and Jade was rash and energetic like Scorbunny. It really suited them.

“Their costumes really match their personalities,” Cala commented.

“And hereʼs them from their first Halloween.” Melony pointed to a photo of the triplets, only a few months old at the time. Each were dressed in identical crocheted Snom onesies.

“Awww! Theyʼre so tiny!” Cala cooed.

“Baby!” Apollo and Jade yelled, pointing at the photo.

“Thatʼs right. Thatʼs you three as little babies.”

“They look like the real thing,” Cala remarked.

“Oh, take a gander at this one. Itʼs one of my favorites.”

Melony flipped through the pages until she came across a lone, older looking photo. In it was a younger, short-haired Melony dressed up as a Lapras. In her arms was an adorable, chunky, beige-haired baby who was donning a near identical Lapras onesie. Both of them had bright smiles on their faces.

“Is that...Gordie?” Cala giggled as she eyed the photo. She noticed a slight difference in quality of the costumes in that picture compared to the others, but it still looked good to her.

“Mmm-hmm,” Melony nodded. “It was the first set of costumes Iʼve ever made, though they werenʼt as good back then as they are now.”

“Theyʼre still good though. Much better than the ones in the stores,” Cala praised.

“Yeah, mum, your costumes are ace!” Winter added.

Melony smiled at the girlsʼ compliments and she let out a reminiscent sigh as her finger grazed over the photo. “Oh, he was so cute at that age. So small and chunky and—”

“Mum!” Gordie cried out, his cheeks turning a dark shade of red. Winter and Cala burst into a fit of giggles at his expense.

“Auntie, your costumes are amazing. They look so...perfect,” Cala complimented once more as Melony shut the album and places it back under the coffee table.

The Ice-type Leader grinned. “So you see, itʼs really no trouble at all. I can have one up and ready in the blink of an eye.”

Cala nodded, feeling more convinced.

“And I promise to make this the best first Halloween ever.” Melony tapped the girlʼs nose, making her giggle.

“Oh, weʼre going to have so much fun together, Cala!” Winter clapped her hands with excitement. “Trick-or-treating is loads more fun with friends. Marnie and Allister are going with us too!”

Winter turned to her mother. “Can we please go on our own this year?”

“Winter...” Melony started.

“Please, mum,” Winter begged. “Iʼm ten years old now; Iʼll be fine. I know Circhester like I know my own name. Plus, Cala will be with us; sheʼs the oldest.”

“I donʼt know, Winter...”

“Pwease, mummy?” Winter jutted her lip out, tilted her head to the side, and stared at her with a look that resembled the move Baby-Doll Eyes. “Weʼll be real careful.”

Melony just couldnʼt resist those eyes. She may have been the toughest and strictest gym leader in the Galar region, but even she fell victim to Cala and Winterʼs Baby-Doll Eyes look, far too often than sheʼs like to admit.

“Oh, alright,” she caved. “You are getting older. And youʼre so responsible. I guess you can handle going around town on your own.”

Winterʼs lips curled up in a grin and she hugged her mother tightly.

“Thanks, mum!”

“Now, I think itʼs about time for supper.”

As if on cue, three stomachs began growling. Cala, Winter, and Gordie shared a laugh.

“Well then, guess weʼll have to get started on that, wonʼt we?” Melony giggled. “Who wants some Cheese-Covered Curry?”

“I do, I do, I do!” Cala and Winter chanted.

“Cuwwy!” Apollo and Jade cheered.

“Well then, come along into the dining room. I made a fresh pot just before I left this afternoon.”

“Yay!”

The girls and the triplets eagerly made their way into the dining room. 

Once they were out of sight, Gordie snickered. “Melony, the toughest gym leader in all of Galar, the 'ice-cold professional' caved into a pair of Baby-Doll Eyes like that.” He snapped his fingers for emphasis. “Imagine the headlines. Youʼd never be able to live it down.”

“Oh, hush,” Melony chided. “You try saying no to that face.”

The Rock-type leader guffawed. “Psshh, thatʼs easy. I have rock-hard willpower.”

Melony just rolled her eyes and shook her head. Damn her son and his stupid, corny rock puns. 

“Anyhow, I want this Halloween to be very special for Cala. I canʼt believe itʼs her first one.”

Gordie nodded in agreement. “Me either. I canʼt believe that Aunt Canta and Uncle Yukio are depriving Mini of these important childhood moments.”

Melony let out a long sigh. “Sheʼs taking after your nan and grandpa; Mankey see, Mankey do. I feel for that poor little girl.”

“Donʼt worry, ma. I know youʼll make Halloween very special for her. You always went above and beyond to make Halloween enjoyable for us, so Iʼm sure this year, will be a smashing Halloween,” he said sincerely.

Melony felt her heart flutter with warmth. A smile formed on her lips. “Oh, what did I do to deserve such a sweet son like you, Pebble?” She reached up to pinch one of Gordieʼs chubby cheeks.

“Ma, stop...” he groaned, gently swatting her hand away. His cheeks turned slightly pink.

“Tee-hee, alright, Iʼll leave you be. Letʼs go get supper ready.”

**___________________**

That night, Cala sat cross-legged on her bed as she surfed the internet for costume ideas. She had been searching Unown since 9pm and wasnʼt having any luck. She was beginning to grow increasingly frustrated and overwhelmed. Her Unown searches included “Halloween costume ideas”, “Halloween costume ideas for twelve year old girl” and “cute kids Halloween costumes”, but each result that came up was either too babyish, too scary, or just not her style.

“Ugh, this is hopeless!” she groaned, tossing her phone to the side, causing Rotom to let out an “oof”. She muttered a soft, half-hearted apology to the Plasma Pokémon.

“My first Halloween ever, and I canʼt even figure out what I want to be!” She flopped back onto the pillows dramatically.

“Glace, Glace,” Mizore frowned, hating seeing her trainer upset. She walked over and began licking the girlʼs cheek. Cala reached out and scratched the Fresh Snow Pokémon behind her ear.

Rotom fluttered over her head. _“Bzzt! Maybe you should pick up on this tomorrow. You have ten days left to decide.”_

“Yeah, but I donʼt want to wait until the 30th to make a decision,” she sighed.

_“Zzzt! You donʼt have to. Didnʼt Melony offer to help you?”_

“I donʼt want to pester her too much. Sheʼs already agreed to make a costume for me. I donʼt want her to do all of the work for me.” She let out another sigh.

_“Zzzt! Iʼm sure youʼll find something, kiddo! And if push comes to shove, you could always take up Winterʼs offer and borrow her old costume.”_

“I hope so...”

Unfortunately, that wasnʼt the case. Five days went by and Cala still could not decide. With each passing day, she grew more and more anxious. It didnʼt help that by the fifth day, Melony had already finished Winterʼs Elsa dress.

“I love it!” the ten year old practically screamed as Melony showcased the finished product. It was near identical to Elsaʼs iconic blue dress from the first Frozen movie but with a few minor alterations. The dress had beautiful rhinestone snowflakes on the bodice and skirt. The organza sleeves were clear and shimmered with silver glitter. The white tulle cape, which was also bathed in silver glitter, cascaded down to the hem of the dress. It was absolutely perfect.

Winter practically tackled her mother in a hug. The Ice-type leader let out a small “oof” but smiled nonetheless.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you, mum! Itʼs perfect!” She cried with an ear-to-ear grin.

“Your welcome, Snowflake,” Melony replied, returning the girlʼs smile. “Iʼm so glad you like it.” 

“All I need is a crown and a blonde wig and Iʼll be all set.”

“Oh, donʼt worry. I already took care of that.”

Winter gasped as Melony held up an ice blue crocheted crown. It hat white snowflakes woven into it. What stood out was that there was a long, light blonde hair made out of yarn attached to the bottom of the crown, forming Elsaʼs iconic braid.

Winter squealed loudly and hugged her mother tighter. “I love it! Thank you, mum!!!”

 _Oh, great, sheʼs already done!_ Cala thought fretfully, twiddling her thumbs. _Iʼm next and I still havenʼt figured it out. Oh, Arceus, why canʼt I just make up my mind? Sheʼs going to be angry..._

“Cala?” Melonyʼs gentle voice pulled her from her thoughts. 

Calaʼs blue eyes met her auntʼs. “Yes, Auntie?”

“Have you decided on what costume you would like me to make for you?” she asked.

“Um, no, not yet,” Cala mumbled, her eyes casting downward towards the carpeted floor. “B-B-But, Iʼll let you know later tonight, I promise,” she added hastily.

“Alright, but if you need help, just let me know.”

Cala nodded silently and followed her into the kitchen to help prepare for dinner.

**___________________**

Once again, Cala found herself laying on her bed surfing the internet for costume ideas. Her fingers tapped the screen of her phone frantically as she searched Unown.

“Mm...Cinderella...no. Dorothy...no. Chucky...”—she shuddered— “too scary,” she mumbled as she scrolled through images. “Pikachu...nope. Maleficent...mmm...maybe...no. Ugh!” She hid her face in her hands. Mizore immediately jumped into her lap and attempted to soothe the stressed out and overwhelmed twelve year old. She licked her hand comfortingly.

“Halloween is less than five days away and I canʼt make up my mind!” She groaned. Her Rotom Phone slipped out of her hand and flittered above her.

 _“Zzzt! Allow me to help,”_ Rotom replied. Cala lifted her head up as Rotom began searching Unown. _“Searching for 'most popular Halloween costumes.' Searching...searching...searching...search completed! Zzzt! I found ten links to lists of the most popular Halloween costumes,” it replied._

Cala gave a hopeful smile and grabbed for her phone. She clicked on the links one by one and studied the lists diligently. Her eyes burned from the blue light, but she didnʼt care. She was determined to find something.

As she came to the end of the tenth and final list, an image caught her eye. It was a witchʼs costume, but it wasnʼt the one with the raggedy clothes, ugly, warty nose and the long wooden broom. This witch costume somewhat resembled a witch from Harry Potter (Cala was vaguely familiar with the series) with a white button down top, a black skirt, red neck tie, and a matching black cloak and witchʼs hat. It even came with a magic wand.

Cala imagined herself in that witch costume. It wasnʼt too scary and it wasnʼt too babyish. It was perfect.

“A witch,” she whispered. “Itʼs perfect! I wanna be a witch! I know what I wanna be!” She sprang up, accidentally sending Mizore flying out of her lap in the process, and began jumping excitedly on the bed. “I found my costume, I found my costume!”

“Glace!” Mizore barked, not happy with being suddenly thrown across the bed like a ragdoll.

Cala stopped jumping and scooped the Ice-type up into her arms. “I found my costume, Mizore!” she cheered, embracing her partner. Mizore couldnʼt stay mad for long. She rubbed her head affectionately against hers, purring softly.

“ _Bzzt! Thatʼs great, Cala!”_ Rotom chirped. _“Donʼt forget to tell your aunt—”_

“Oh, youʼre right!” Cala grabbed her phone and jumped off her bed.

 _“Zzzt! I didnʼt mean right now!”_ Rotom cried out, though it fell on deaf ears.

She placed Mizore back at the foot of the bed, pushed her feet into her plush slippers, and made her way to her auntʼs bedroom, giggling the entire way.

“Auntie?” she called in a hushed voice, knocking gently yet firmly on the white door. “Auntie, itʼs me, Cala.”

After about ten seconds, the door swung open, revealing Melony, clad in ice blue silk pajamas with little white snowflakes. By the looks of it, she must have been sleeping.

“Calabear?” she yawned, covering her mouth as she did. “Itʼs nearly midnight; why arenʼt you in bed?”

“I figured out what I want to be for Halloween, Auntie!” the girl replied, bouncing like a Spoink on caffeine.

“Thatʼs great, love.” She let out another yawn. “What is it?”

“A witch!”

“A witch?”

“Yeah, but not the regular kind of witch. I wanna be like a witch from Harry Potter. Like this one.” She waved her phone in the air.

Melony squinted at the image, studying it. It looked easy enough to make. She may have to pull a few all-nighters, but it was very doable.

“Can you make that for me, Auntie? Please?”

Melony nodded. “Of course I can, love.”

Calaʼs face lit up like a Christmas tree. “Really? You will?”

“Yes, love. Iʼll get right on it tomorrow morning. Now, I think itʼs time—”

Melony nearly had the wind knocked out of her as Cala launched herself at the woman. For a tiny, ninety pound girl, she packed a punch.

“Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, Auntie!” Cala squealed, squeezing her tight.

Melony gave her niece a tired smile and wrapped her arms around her.

“Youʼre welcome. Now, itʼs off to bed with you, young lady. Itʼs very late.”

“Okay.” Cala was about to head for her room when an idea popped into her head.

“Auntie?” She turned around to face her. “Um...if itʼs not too much trouble, could you maybe make a little cloak for Mizore, too? Maybe one that matches mine?”

“Of course, dearie.” She knelt down and gave her a kiss on the temple. “Now, off to bed with you.”

“Okay, Auntie. Goodnight.” And with that, Cala skipped merrily to her room. Melony sighed softly, a smile forming on her lips.

“Her first Halloween,” she whispered to herself. “Iʼm going to be running myself ragged for the next few days, but anything to make her smile.”

And work she did. For the next four days and nights, the Ice-type Leader worked tirelessly cutting and sewing together Calaʼs costume. As suspected, she did have to pull two all-nighters, but she never once complained. She was willing to do anything for her beloved niece, even if it meant losing a few hours of sleep.

Three minutes before midnight, the gym leader finally finished the witch costume. She flopped back in her chair with a relieved sight.

“Finally,” she breathed, holding up the finished product. “I think I did a right good job. I hope Cala will like it, too.”

**___________________**

Finally, Halloween arrived. Melony and the three oldest spent the entire day putting the finishing touches on the Halloween decorations. After a bit of a struggle, Gordie convinced Melony to go take a nap around noon; the poor woman could barely stand on her own feet. They made sure that the candy bowls were fully stocked with various treats and kept the tripletsʼ sneaky little hands from stealing any. Winter decided they should have an early supper to maximize their trick-or-treating time. Gordie made some fried Barraskewda and chips (Cala learned thatʼs what Galarian called fries). Melony came down and joined them soon after.

“You look well-rested,” Gordie commented as he served the triplets their food.

Melony yawned and stretched. “I needed that five hour kip; I was absolutely knackered.”

“Knackered is an understatement,” Gordie laughed. “You almost toppled over several times. You moved almost like Allister.”

Melony rolled her eyes playfully. “Oh, I wasnʼt that bad.”

“Pfft! Not that bad? I thought you turned into a zombie!” Gordie began walking in a slow, zombie-like manner. 

“Braaaaaiiins!” he moaned, making Cala and Winter snicker. “Thatʼs what you looked like.”

“Oh, hush. I did not,” She argued, though she could not stop the smile from spreading on her lips.

“Iʼm so excited for tonight,” Cala said as she dipped a piece of Barraskewda into some ketchup and nibbled on it.

“Me too,” Winter agreed. “And Gordie showed me the best spots to get candy from.” She rubbed her hands together and licked her lips. “I canʼt wait to get my hands on that candy.”

“Remember, Winter: no eating any sweets until Iʼve had a look at it,” Melony reminded the girl.

“I know, mum, I know.”

Melony turned her attention to Cala. “I finished your costume, sweetie. Itʼs on your bed.”

Cala grinned and clapped her hands, elated. “Great! Thank you, Auntie!”

Once dinner was finished and the dishes were washed, Melony went to go help the triplets into their Halloween costume. Winter and Cala went to their respective rooms to change into their own.

Cala held up her costume and gasped at what she saw. It was almost exactly like the photo she found online but it was tailored to better suit her style: a crisp, white, button-down shirt, a black, high waisted, knee length skirt with a frilly white hem, a matching black and blue cloak, and a black witch hat decorated with a big blue ribbon. Right beside it were a pair of round glasses, a pair of black tights, a wand, and a smaller black cloak.

“Mizore, look!” Cala shrieked with joy, bouncing up and down. “My costume! And look! Auntie made you a little cloak that matches mine!”

“Glace!” Mizore yipped.

“Letʼs put them on!”

Cala hastily shed her clothes and began putting her costume on. Though she was as excited as a child on Christmas Day, she made sure to dress herself with care, making sure that she didnʼt cause any unnecessary rips or tears. Once she was fully dressed, she helped Mizore with her cloak and walked towards the floor length mirror in the closet.

Calaʼs cheeks ached as the grin on her face doubled in size. She let out a loud shout of joy and twirled AROUND until she grew dizzy.

“I love it, I love it, I LOVE IT!!!”

“Glace, Glace!” Mizore cheered, spinning around as well, absolutely loving her cloak.

Cala giggled as she lost her balance and fell to the floor. Her head was spinning faster than a Hitmontop, but she didnʼt care. She grabbed a pair of black high top sneakers from the closet and pulled them onto her feet.

“Rotom,” Cala called once she was able to stand again. “Come take a picture!”

Rotom chirped, disconnecting from its charger and fluttering over to her.

 _“Bzzt! You look sharp as a pin, kiddo!”_ it replied, causing her to giggle. It opened the camera app and turned so that the lens was facing her. Cala picked Mizore up and adjusted her so that her cloak was visible. She pushed the glasses up to her face and grabbed her wand.

“Ready, Rotom!” 

_“Zzzt! Okey dokey! Say 'Pikachu!'”_

Cala threw up a peace sign and gave a wide smile. “Pikachu!”

The camera shuttered, flashing a few times. Rotom flew over to show her the photos.

“Great work, Rotom!” she praised. She slipped the phone into her cloak pocket. 

“Cʼmon, Mizore. Letʼs show everyone our costumes!”

Cala skipped happily down the stairs with Mizore following. Winter and Gordie were already downstairs and dressed. Both looked exactly like the characters they were portraying. Gordie even had his hair pulled back into a top knot bun. Shuckle clung to his trainerʼs shoulder. His flaccid limbs had green bangles that match Gordieʼs. Snowdrop was dressed in an identical blue dress.

Winter gasped. “Wow! You look amazing, Cala!”

“Yeah, Mini,” Gordie agreed. “Mum really did a smashing job.”

Cala giggled. “Thanks. You guys look great, too.”

“Aww, she made a matching costume for Mizore, too!” she squealed. “So cute! Letʼs snap a photo together!”

Soon, Melony arrived in the sitting room along with the triplets. The boys were dressed as adorable bear Pokémon, Dew as Cubchoo, Apollo as Teddiursa, and Jade as Pancham. Each boy had a corresponding crocheted hat with a face and ears. Melony wore a long, blue and white cold shoulder gown paired with a sparkly tulle cape and a pointy, white crown that resembled icicles. Her hair was pulled into a huge bun and she wore white eyeshadow and blue lipstick.

“Wow,” the girls gasped in awe. “Mum/Auntie, you look so beautiful!”

Melony giggled. “Thank you, loves. You both look absolutely lovely.”

“Rawr! Iʼm Pancham!” Jade roared in the most adorable manner.

“Iʼm Teddiuwsa! Grrr!” Apollo growled cutely.

Cala giggled. “You three are so cute.”

“Iʼm not cute, Iʼm scawy! Rawr!”

Cala decided to humor the three year old. “Oh, no! A scary Pancham! What will I do?” Jade seemed quite pleased with himself.

“Auntie, I love the costume! Thank you so much!” Cala embraced her.

“Youʼre very well, dear. Now, letʼs snap a few photos.”

Melony ran to get her Polaroid camera and moved the kids closer together.

“Gordie, you get in, too.”

Gordie stood behind Winter and Cala, who were each holding their partner Pokémon. He placed his arms around both of them. The triplets stood in front of them.

“Say 'Happy Halloween!'”

“Happy Halloween!”

The camera clicked and flashed. After fanning the photos, they were placed into the Halloween photo album.

_**DING-DONG! DING-DONG!** _

“Oh, that must be Allister and Marnie,” Melony said and headed to answer the door.

“Theyʼre here!” The girls sprinted for the door. 

The door opened, revealing Marnie and Allister. Marnie was sporting a cute pink and black vampire costume with fake fangs to match while Allister was dressed as a skeleton. Instead of wearing his regular mask, Allisterʼs face was painted white, bringing out his glowing purple eyes. Marnieʼs Morpeko wore a mini vampire cape while Allisterʼs Mimikyu wore a simple purple bow tie. Both Pokémon each held their own little candy bag. Behind them was Piers, who was twinning with his sister, and Bea, who was dressed as Toph.

“Trick-or-treat,” the two children chanted.

Melony smiled warmly. “Hello, you two. Love your costumes.” She reached over and grabbed one of the candy bowls. She placed a fistful of candy into each of their bags.

“Thank you.”

Melony turned her attention to the older two.

“Hello, loves. Would you like some candy as well?”

“Oh, no thank you, Ms. Melony,” Bea denied politely, shaking her head.

“A bit too old for trick-or-treatinʼ,” Piers added.

“Nonsense; people in Circhester trick-or-treat ʼtill theyʼre twenty-one.”

“ʼM twenty-two...”

“The point is: youʼre never 'too old' to trick-or-treat. Halloween is for people of all ages. Here you are.” The older gym leader gave the two a fistful of candy as well. She grabbed another bowl filled with Pokémon treats and gave one each to Morpeko and Mimikyu.

“Thank you, Ms. Melony.”

“Come in, come in.” Melony stepped aside to allow them to pass.

“Youʼre here!”

The two girls slipped past Melony to greet their friends.

“Whoa, great costumes,” Cala commented.

“Yeah, real spooky,” Winter added.

“T-Thanks. I-I like your costumes, too,” Allister whispered.

“Elsa really suits ya, Winter. Anʼ that witch costume is perfect for ya, chapette,” Marnie complimented.

Both girls smiled.

“Mum, can we go trick-or-treating now?” Winter begged. “I wanna get as much sweets as possible.”

“Yeah, Auntie, can we? Can we?”

“Oh, alright. Piers, Bea, you want to help Gordie hand out the sweets?”

“Sure.”

“Got nothinʼ else goinʼ on. Why not.”

“Right, the white bowl is for the trick-or-treaters, the smaller white one is Pokémon treats, and the blue bowl, you can split amongst yourselves. Just try not to get too many cavities.”

“Come along, boys! Weʼre going trick-or-treating now!”

The triplets cheered, stampeding towards the door. Melony handed them each a super size Pumpkaboo-shaped bucket.

Cala and Winter grabbed their trick-or-treat bags as well and they made their way outside.

Melony checked her phone. “Itʼs a quarter to six right now. I want you four back here by half past nine, quarter to ten the latest—understood?”

“Yes, maʼam,” they nodded.

“Before you go, huddle together for a quick photo.”

The preteens groaned.

“Mum/Auntie!” Winter and Cala whined.

“It wonʼt take a minute, you two. Now, come along.”

The four obeyed and stood against the white fence. They placed their arms over each otherʼs shoulders. Their Pokémon stood right in front of them. Melony pulled out her own Rotom Phone.

“Smile.”

The four children smiled for the camera. Marnie, in true fashion, placed both index fingers at the corners of her lips and forced them upward. Allister gave a small but noticeable smile. Cala and Winterʼs smiles were huge and wide.

“Alright, run along and have fun.”

Without hesitation, the quartet raced through the gate, eager to get started on their candy hunt.

“Be careful!” Melony called.

“We will!” they responded.

**___________________**

Calaʼs heart raced with adrenaline as the four children walked through the streets of Circhester, chattering amongst themselves. “Monster Mash” could be heard playing full blast all throughout the town. She couldnʼt believe how she was forced to miss eleven Halloweens. Even adults were trick-or-treating! How could her mother possibly think that this was a stupid holiday? But that didnʼt matter now because finally, she was a part of it.

She looked around, amazed at all the different costumes. She saw a boy dressed as Thor, two girls as Raggedy Ann and Andy, twins dressed as Galarian and Kantonian Mr. Mime (their costumes were just as creepy as the real thing), and a group of nine children dressed as Eevee and its evolutions. But her favorite ones were of a boy who was dressed as Rapunzel paired with a girl who dressed as Flynn Rider. She admired the pair from a distance, wishing she had the confidence to break gender stereotypes like that. They rocked their costumes.

Their first stop was the house directly next door to Melonyʼs. It was a nice, brown two story brick house. It was decorated with cobwebs and fake Joltiks. It paled in comparison to Melonyʼs house. They stepped up to the porch and Winter knocked on the door.

The door opened, revealing a woman in her early forties holding a bowl of candy. She wore a helmet that resembled a Dewpiderʼs water bubble.

“Trick-or-treat!”

She smiled. “Oh, Elsa, a little skeleton, a vampire, and a cute little witch. How lovely.”

She dropped a candy-filled goodie bag into each of their bags.

“Thank you!” they chorused. They made their way towards their next destination.

“That was so exciting!” Cala exclaimed, throwing her hands up and nearly whacking Marnie in the face in the process.

“Easy, chapette,” Marnie groaned, narrowly avoiding the hit.

“Oops, sorry.”

“You act like itʼs your first Halloween.”

“Well, it kinda is,” she blushed slightly.

“Are ya having a laugh at me?” she asked incredulously.

The twelve year old shook her head. “Iʼm serious.”

“N-Never celebrated Halloween?” Allister whispered in disbelief. “A-Are your parents religious? O-our parents are...”

“No. Itʼs just that they were always too busy with work,” she shrugged, looking down.

“Hey, letʼs not dwell on that,” Winter interjected. “Itʼs her first Halloween, so letʼs make it a good one—okay?”

“Okay!”

The quartet continued their walk.

“Thank you for that,” Cala whispered gratefully.

“No problem,” Winter winked. “I didnʼt want you to be sad.”

The four kids ventured on from house to house, chanting “trick-or-treat”. The Circhester residents complimented their costumes and gave them treats. Some even gave the Pokémon their own special treats. One person tried to give them toothbrushes instead of candy, but Morpeko switching to Hangry Mode quickly shut that down. Within the first hour and a half, their bags were already three-quarters full.

“Neato! My bag is pretty heavy!” Cala said, shaking her candy bag.

“Where should we go next?” Winter asked.

“Mmm...” Cala scanned the area and her eyes fell on the Pokémon Center. “How about the Pokémon Center?”

“Perfect. ʼM sure Nurse Joy has some good sweets,” Marnie remarked.

As they arrived at Circhesterʼs Pokémon Center, they noticed that the lights were off.

“I-Is it closed..?” Allister woundered.

“Well, that ainʼt very smart. Even Pokémon get hurt on holidays,” Marnie commented.

“Maybe itʼs just like that to get us into the Halloween spirit,” Cala shrugged. “Cʼmon, letʼs go!”

The automatic doors creaked open as they entered.

“Trick-or...treat?”

It was dark and quiet, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Nurse Joy, who usually greeted trainers from behind her counter, was nowhere in sight. There were only two Litwick-shaped candles placed on the counter. The café and Poké Mart counters were also empty. The place looked abandoned.

“Nurse Joy?” Winter called out. No response.

“M-Maybe she isnʼt here...”

“That isnʼt like her,” Winter frowned. “Letʼs have a look.”

The kids spread out in search for the nurse, calling out for her, but getting no response. After ten minutes, they met back in front of the counter.

“Nothing?” Cala asked.

The other three shook their heads. “Nothinʼ.”

“Bummer,” Cala frowned. “Oh, well. Letʼs go somewhere el—”

“RAWR!!!” A Bewear suddenly sprung out from behind the front desk, waving its arms wildly. It wasnʼt a normal Bewear though. This Bewear was missing its left ear, leaving its brain partially exposed, and had beady red eyes, rows and rows of sharp, yellow teeth, and long, pointy black claw protruding from its pink paw pads. The black fur on the lower half of its body was matted and covered with blood. It also had a hole in its stomach, exposing its ribcage and internal organs. It looked straight out a horror movie.

“AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!” Cala, Winter, and Marnie shrieked. Mizore, Morpeko, and Snowdrop all let out similar cries of alarm. Allister and Mimikyu, however, remained unfazed.

The girls cowered in fear, holding into each other for dear life with their Pokémon quivering behind them.

The Bewear started shaking and human-like laughter could be heard. The girls stopped shaking and raised their eyebrows. The Bewear removed its head, revealing a pink-haired woman with familiar hair loops.

“Nurse Joy?!” they cried out.

The nurse giggled. “Hee-hee. In the flesh. Did I frighten you?”

“Uh, yeah!” Cala glared at the woman.

“Nearly gave me a bloody heart attack!” Marnieʼs face scrunched in anger.

“You scared me half to death!” Winter cried.

“Beaʼs scarier when sheʼs mad,” Allister mumbled.

“Tee-hee. Here.” She reached under the desk and pulled out a bowl of candy. “Take this as an apology.”

The girls huffed but accepted the candy. Allister was secretly given more candy for not getting scared.

“Happy Halloween, kids!” Nurse Joy waved with a warm grin as if she hadnʼt just scared the life out of a ten, eleven, and twelve year old child.

“Sorry,” Winter apologized as they exited the center. “I canʼt believe I forgot about Nurse Joy. She made Dew cry last year.”

“Cripes, my heart is still poundinʼ,” Marnie puffed, placing a hand over her rapidly beating heart.

“Iʼm gonna have nightmares for the rest of the week,” Cala muttered. 

“I-Iʼve seen scarier. Beaʼs scarier,” Allister shrugged.

“Can we please go somewhere else?” Cala questioned, trying to control her pounding heart. “Preferably somewhere with no jumpscares.”

“Oh, I know the perfect spot!” Winter snapped her fingers. She pointed north. “There are some houses just at the base of the Circhester mountain range, about a kilometer from the gym. Gordie showed me them to me last year. And, get this, they give out full-sized candy bars and giant sweets.”

“Full-size candy bars?” Marnie repeated.

“G-Giant sweets?” Allisterʼs mouth watered.

“That sounds like the Halloween jackpot!” Cala exclaimed. “I say we go!”

“M-Me, too,” Allister agreed.

The preteens made their way up north towards the snowy mountain range. The snowfall began to fall much harder as they inched closer, though it wasnʼt anything too serious.

They stumbled upon their first house. As they stepped up to the porch, they noticed that the bowl of candy was sitting by the door. A sign above it in bright red letters read:

“Please only take one. Thank you and Happy Halloween.”

Like the well-mannered children that they were, each kid took one piece of candy. Cala ended up with a Mega Bruiser Jawbreaker. Her teeth ached just looking at it. They ventured towards the other four houses and as Winter had said, they were given full-sized candy. The fifth and final house, however, gave them giant sized candy. Cala got a giant Hersheyʼs chocolate bar with almonds, Winter received a box of twist pops, Allister got a giant, solid Hersheyʼs Kiss, and Marnie got a two kilogram cherry gummy bear.

“Whoa, this is the biggest candy bar Iʼve ever seen in my life!” Cala laughed.

“Piers and I are gonna have a field day with this ʼere gummy bear,” Marnie commented, smacking her lips.

“Bea w-will love this,” Allister smiled slightly.

“Oh, I love these lollies!” Winter cheered.

“Rotom, what time is it?” Cala asked as they arrived back in town.

 _“Bzzt! The time now is 9:05 pm,”_ it replied, causing the kids to groan.

“Aww, man. We have less than thirty minutes left to trick-or-treat,” Cala frowned.

“Wow, it feels like we just started,” Winter said, everyone nodding in agreement.

“W-Well, we did good. Look, our bags a-are almost full,” Allister pointed out.

He was right. In the two hours and twenty minutes they have spent trick-or-treating, their candy supply was quite impressive.

“Youʼre right, but we can fill ʼem up to the brim,” Marnie said. “Cʼmon, you lot. Letʼs fill ʼem up ʼtill they bust!” she declared.

“Okay!”

The quartet went into maximum overdrive, running from house to house at breakneck speed, trying to make the last twenty-five minutes of their trick-or-treating time worthwhile. They stopped by both Melony and Gordieʼs gym trainersʼ houses, the shops, Hotel Ionia, the boutique, the hair salon, and even the gym. By the time their twenty-five minutes were up, they had accomplished their goal. Their bags were practically overflowing with treats.

“We did it!” Cala cheered.

“We have enough sweets to last us ʼtill April!” Marnie remarked.

“Good job, mates!” The four of them high-fived. They arrived back at Melonyʼs house at exactly 9:30. The door swung open, revealing Melony.

“Hi, mum!” Winter greeted.

“Look at all the candy we got, Auntie!”

Melony chuckled. “My goodness. Youʼll have enough candy to last until next Halloween.” She allowed them to enter.

“Where are the little sweets thieves?” Winter asked, referred to her little brothers.

“Asleep upstairs. Little darlings had a ball and were absolutely knackered by 8.”

The quartet made their way into the dining room table, lead by Winter. “Now comes the best part about Halloween,” she stated. Cala raised a confused eyebrow. Instead of responding, Winter, Marnie, and Allister simply turned their bags upside down. Their candy spilled against the table loudly, like a waterfall into three piles. Cala covered her ears at the loud noise.

“Ever since weʼve started trick-or-treatinʼ together, weʼve always picked through our sweets anʼ trade with each other. Any sweets we donʼt want, we offer to the others for some of theirs,” Marnie explained.

“Sounds like fun!” Cala replied, mimicking their actions. They all took seats around the table and began sorting through their candy.

“Mmm...” Cala hummed as she picked through her mountain of candy. She came across some Warheads. Cala liked sour candy, but Warheads were a candy she just could not eat.

“Anybody want five Warheads?” she offered.

“Me,” Marnie replied without hesitation.

“What do you have to exchange?”

Marnie sifted through her pile and pulled out a candy necklace.

“Trade ya this candy necklace for ʼem.”

“Deal!”

The girls swapped candies. Cala smiled. This was fun!

“Ew, I got candy corn,” Winter grimaced, holding up a tiny bag of the offending candy. “Who wants?”

“Yuck!” Cala and Marnie responded.

“Y-You guys are missing out,” Allister spoke. “I-Iʼll trade you a full-sized Reeseʼs for it.”

“Deal.”

“You donʼt like Reeseʼs?” Cala questioned incredulously.

“Allergies,” he said simply.

Cala continued to scan her pile of tasty treasures. She spotted Twizzlers and stuck her tongue out. She hated licorice, especially black licorice.

“Who wants licorice? Itʼs the black one.”

“Gross,” Marnie gagged.

“I donʼt even like regular licorice,” Winter commented.

“I-Iʼll take it. Bea loves licorice. How about...three sweetarts?”

“Deal.”

“Mmm...I have three green tea Kit-Kat bars, ” Marnie said.

Cala gasped, nearly shooting out of her seat. “I want it, I want it!”

“Not so fast, chapette. What are ya prepared to give me in return?”

“Uh, Iʼll give you...” She searched through the pile and found some Cry Babies and the Mega Bruiser Jawbreaker. She offered three of her ten Cry Babies. “Three Cry Babies and this Mega Bruiser Jawbreaker.”

Marnieʼs eyes lit up at the sight of the Jawbreaker. Jawbreakers were her favorite candy next to Warheads and Toxic Waste. She was a sucker for sour candy; she had to have it.

“Deal, chapette.” The two swapped and Marnieʼs mouth watered. She held the colossal sized candy close to her heart. Cala cradled the Kit-Kat bars in her arms like a baby.

“I-Iʼve got Junior Mints and some Peppermint Bark,” Allister offered, holding up three bite-sized boxes of the chocolate and mint candy along with the milk chocolate and peppermint squares.

“Pass,” Winter said.

“No thanks,” Marnie shook her head.

“Yum! I love mint candies!” Cala hummed. “Mmm, Iʼll give you some Tootsie Rolls for them.”

“Blech! Three of the worst chocolate sweets in existence!” Winter gagged.

“Pfft, youʼre crazy. Chocolate candies with mint are the best,” Cala rolled her eyes.

“A-And Tootsie Rolls arenʼt too bad either,” Allister retorted.

The two traded off.

“Iʼve got a barrel of Toxic—”

“I want it,” Marnie interrupted. She slapped a fistful of Jolly Ranchers onto the table; Winterʼs favorite candy. “Jolly Ranchers.”

Winter grinned. “You know me so well.”

The preteens spent the next half hour trading their candies. Once they were satisfied, they placed their spoils back into their respective bags.

Gordie sauntered into the kitchen just as they finished putting their candy away.

“Ooh, Halloween sweets. Whatʼd ya get?”

“Lots and lots!” Cala grinned.

“Enough to last us at least six months,” Marnie commented.

“Lemme get some.” Gordie reached for Winterʼs candy bag.

“Hey, get your grubby hands off my sweets!” Winter cried, lightly slapping his hand away.

“Ouch, little sister. I thought you loved me,” Gordie pouted.

“Winter, would it kill you to give your brother a few pieces of your sweets?” Melony sighed. “You have lots of it. A few pieces wouldnʼt hurt.”

“Yes, it would.”

Cala giggled. She rummaged through her bag and pulled out some rainbow rock candy.

“Here, Gordie. Have some of mine.”

Gordie felt touched. “Thatʼs okay, Mini. You can keep it.”

But Cala insisted. “No, really, you can have it. I want you to have it.” She held it out for him. A smile spread across Gordieʼs features. He pulled Cala into a hug. “Thanks, Mini.”

He turned to Winter. “Youʼre so sweet, Mini, unlike someone.”

“Nyaah!” Winter stuck out tongue out at him.

“Nyaah!” He did the action right back at her.

“Alright, enough, you two,” Melony said sternly. “How about we watch a movie?”

After the candy was inspection and cleared for consumption, the kids were allowed to pick one to eat. Cala chose her giant chocolate bar, Winter picked a twisted lolly, Allister went for the candy corn, and Marnie decided on the gummy bear, splitting it with Piers.

The Pokéflix movie of choice was Coraline, per the kidsʼ request after Piers and Gordie kept suggesting scary movies such as “The Conjuring”, “Childʼs Play”, and “It”. Thankfully, each suggestion immediately got shot down by Melony. Of course, as customary every Halloween in the Malone household, they first watched “Itʼs the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”, Melony and Gordieʼs favorite Halloween special.

Cala nibbled on her chocolate bar as she watched, nestled comfortably between Allister and Marnie. It was the perfect way to end Halloween night. She had an absolute blast; she wished that this day would never end. By the time Coraline had ended, all four kids and their Pokémon were fast asleep on the floor, completely tuckered out from their adventure. Melony cooed as the eight of them were curled up against each other, snoring softly. She discretely snapped a photo.

“I hate to disturb them, but weʼve got to head home, Ms. Melony,” Bea whispered. “Leaving Allieʼs Ghost Pokémon alone at home for too long means nothing but trouble.”

“Us, too. Gotta hurry before thʼ Zigzagoon tear up thʼ apartment again,” Piers muttered.

Melony nodded. “Iʼll call you two a taxi.”

Bea gently scooped her younger brother up into her arms. He groaned at the movement. “Bea..?” 

“Shh. Go back to sleep, Allie,” she shushed.

Piers gently threw his sister over his shoulder. Cala scooted closer towards Winter, seeking out some bodily warmth. Marnie subconsciously wrapped her arms around her brotherʼs neck. The gym leaders returned their younger siblingsʼ Pokémon to their Poké Balls and grabbed their candy bags.

“Thank you both so much for your help,” Melony whispered as she walked them to the door.

“No problem, Ms. Melony.”

“Was nothinʼ, Ms. Melony.”

She gave them each a hug and planted a kiss on the childrenʼs temples.

Melony opened the door. The Corviknight Cab was parked in front of the house. Once the cab flew off, Melony prepared to get the girls up to bed.

“Gord, could you help me with the...” Her voice faltered as she noticed her oldest son and his first Pokémon fast asleep on the armchair. She smiled softly and fetched him a blanket. She threw it over them and kissed his cheek and the top of Shuckleʼs head. “Sweet dreams, Pebble. Goodnight, Shuckie.”

Melony scooped Winter and Snowdrop up first and carried them upstairs to their room. Once they were tucked in, she went to do the same to Cala and Mizore. Unfortunately, since Mizore was a bit bigger than Snowdrop, Melony wasnʼt able to pick her up along with Cala, so she woke her up. She placed her arms under the girlʼs head and knees and slowly lifted her up. The motion caused Cala to stir. Her blue eyes flickered open.

“A-Auntie?” she murmured, her eyes bleary.

“Shhh. Go back to sleep, Pumpkaboo,” she said softly.

“Mkay. I-I just wanted you to know that I had a lot of fun today. We got lots of candy and we got scared by Nurse Joy.” —she yawned— “Iʼm just happy I finally got to be a part of it.”

Melonyʼs heart fluttered with warmth. It always made her happy to see her niece happy. “Iʼm glad you enjoyed yourself, love.”

Her eyes felt heavy, as if they were made of lead. She felt herself succumbing to the tiredness once more. Before she let herself slip, Cala uttered, “Oba...thank you. Thank you for making this the best first Halloween ever... I...love...you...”

Melony gazed at her nieceʼs sleeping form lovingly. She pressed her lips to the girlʼs forehead, lingering for a few seconds.

“Happy Halloween, my little Calabear. I love you to the moon and back. Iʼm so blessed to be your aunt.”

**Author's Note:**

> Wasn't planning on ending like that but I'm so glad I did. The feels😭😭😭
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy this little one-shot. Critiques are appreciated. Have a happy Halloween!


End file.
